This week I’ve been reading yet another book on entrepreneurship! This one’s a little different from most and I’ve appreciated the change of pace. As a female entrepreneur with a background in gender research, Feminine Capital by Barbara Orser and Catherine Elliott has been on my To Read pile for a while. 

The Curse of the Cover Judgement

I’m not sure why it took me so long to get to it. Perhaps it was the rather harsh, corporate image on the cover. To my mind, the front clashed with the bright pink spine. The silhouette on the front is as masculine as a silhouette can be, while sporting a skirt suit with a fiercely fuchsia collar. I’ve spent too long studying gender and feminism not to recognise the hallmarks of a die-hard, man-hating feminist. I have nothing against hard-core feminists or man-haters, but I’m more of a feminista myself. I don’t need the hard sell where equality is concerned. I already know what I’m capable of. I also know this is not contingent upon the contents of my knickers.

It’s unfortunate the cover gave me such a negative impression of the book. It’s far from old school feminism, and I wish I’d read it sooner!

As an author, I’m well aware we judge books by their covers. This book really drove the point home. This is new wave feminism with facts.

Here Comes the Science Bit…

Case studies, statistics, detailed breakdowns of theories and how they’re reflected in practice. It bowled me over (in a good way). I absolutely loved this book. It’s in keeping with my view that women are not suffering in business due to gender, but thriving. The gender differences that once set us apart and made people assume we were less capable are the very things that are enabling us to approach entrepreneurship with a fresh attitude, a different view, and a unique set of skills. 

As Feminine Capital makes plain, there are over 200,000,000 female business owners world-wide, many of whom enjoy phenomenal success. Barbara Orser and Catherine Elliott have an academic approach to the topic that I greatly admire and often find lacking in this type of book If you’re looking for a woo woo book about embracing your inner goddess and listening to your spirit guides, this aint it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that form of female empowerment, none at all, but if you struggle with a more factual, research-based approach, fair warning, this may not be the book for you. 

I’m from a very academic background. I spent ten years at university. I like an academic, analytic approach. I like writers backing up their theories and suppositions with copious amounts of research. I truly appreciated the forty years of serious research that supports each and every word. 

[Tweet theme=”tweet-box-shadow”]Kudos to the authors for penning an academic consideration of female entrepreneurship that’s accessible to all![/Tweet]

Practical and Insightful

Feminine Capital is a wonderfully practical look at the ways in which women are doing business. Orser and Elliott’s insights into the manner in which gender influences decision-making in business is insightful and inspiring. Their findings confirm my own theory: women are wired differently. That difference allows us to excel in certain areas, leaving our male counterparts in the proverbial dust. The crafting of a distinctive brand is something many women do exceptionally well. Finally I have a better understanding of why that is. This book is a must-read for women in business – it tackles a lot of myths and misconceptions that undermine women. It also provides practical advise and examples of how to improve our skills and business ventures.

Highly recommended!